A veteran American big-game hunter was killed after being attacked by a herd of elephants during a safari expedition in Gabon, according to hunting organisations and reports. Ernie Dosio, 75, a vineyard owner from Lodi, California, died on April 17 after his hunting party encountered a group of female elephants with calves in a forested area, sources familiar with the incident said. Surprise encounter in dense forest Dosio and two professional hunters were tracking yellow-backed duiker — a forest-dwelling antelope — when they unexpectedly came across a small herd of elephants in dense rainforest terrain. According to accounts shared with The New York Times , the group initially backed away from the animals, which are known to be particularly aggressive when calves are present. However, the elephants charged toward the hunting party, reportedly attempting to drive them away. The herd charged a second time, closing the distance rapidly. During the attack, one of the professional hunters was seriously injured.…